How Do You Spell MPS?

Ask a group of people for the definition of ‘managed print services’ (MPS) and answers will vary just as they would on the definition of ‘document management’. MPS means different things to different people. The definition of MPS is victim to people’s individual bias.

Not surprisingly, a copier manufacturer’s definition will involve something about replacing a decentralized fleet of desktop printers with a fleet of centralized copiers, which they claim will not only be more cost effective but also increase employee efficiency. But only if you are trained in “copier-math” would you have the intelligence to understand this definition.

Consumable manufacturers and resellers are convinced that just by providing the additional break/fix service to existing printers gives them a lock on the true meaning of MPS. However, one can become easily confused by the slight variation of the definition offered by break/fix service companies that say its really the other way around.

HP did not start using the words “balanced deployment” in their version until their engineers figured out how to balance a scanner on the top of a printer.

With all this controversy, VARs thought they could solve the debate, but got hung up on trying to figure out the difference between a document created using Microsoft versus the kind made of Hammermill, International Paper.

Did I leave anyone out? Could there be any other point of view that could resolve this fierce debate? Otherwise, the last entity we would ever want to have the final say would be… the customer.

As the rules of business change, thinking must change as well. For us sales professionals, I believe antiquated thinking will only lead to frustration, unhappy clients and a dwarfed income. The purpose of my blogs is to provoke a deeper level of thought about achievement in business and to challenge the comfort zone in order to provide a new level of selling and lifestyle. Max always welcomes questions and comments. Visit Max on LinkedIn.com